Counting Stars
There's something magical about lying underneath a sky full of sparkling stars. I know this all too well, because I gaze at the starry skies every single night. Counting stars under the evening sky has always made me feel relaxed and happy. There are lots of shining stars out there, and I always want to go out and count them. Whether it's outside in my backyard or sitting in the park, I enjoy looking at the beautiful stars, counting them and finding constellations. Sometimes I think that whenever I see a shooting star, I might have a wish come true. Counting stars under the evening sky has always been my passion, because I'm always daydreaming and I make friends in the clouds. I am a bit of a daydreamer and some people say that I'm very great. I like everything about my life and I don't want too much. Most of the time, I daydream about things that I want in life. Since I always daydream, I rarely have anyone to talk to. One night, as I walked down the street, I couldn't help but admire the beauty that evening had to offer. The wind was gentle, and every patch of grass had light misty dew. The lamps lining down the street helped me so that I wouldn't be all alone in the dark. Behind the thick trees littered along the side of the road, the radiance of the glistening moon flooded the road, showering each and every crevice with its light. The weatherman had been predicting rain and cloudy conditions for the next few weeks, but I seemed to have picked the perfect night – not a cloud was in sight; instead, hundreds upon thousands of stars were scattered across the velvet sky, their light gleam contributing to the waterfall of moonlight. I looked up at the sky to see if there were any stars to count. Although it was a magnificent, peaceful night, there was something strange going on. I could feel it in the air. I didn't know what it was, but I had a feeling that something wasn't quite right. I began to wonder to myself if there were other people who were daydreamers and counted stars just like me. I saw a girl on the park bench where I usually sit during the day. She was looking at the stars and writing something on a notepad she held in her hands. When she saw me, she put down her notepad. "Hello..." she said. Her voice was quiet and kind of shy. "What are you doing here in this dark, quiet evening?" "I'm just...stargazing," I replied. "Well," said the girl with a small smile. "So am I." Strangely, I was quite surprised. I had found someone who liked to gaze at the stars just like me. I thought to myself, maybe I might make a new friend. "My name is Bella," said the girl. "I like counting stars because it helps me focus and learn about the solar system." "My name's Piper," I told her. "I like counting stars, too, because it has always made me feel relaxed and happy. My hobby is counting millions of shining stars at night. " "I often spend time here in the park every evening," said Bella. "It's because I live in the city. It's always busy and bustling. During the day, I visit the planetarium to learn some facts about the solar system. At night, the bright street lights always bother me, so I just like to go out and visit the peaceful park to gaze at the stars, because it has been a pastime for me." "Well, I live in a small town," I said. "Every night, I see many stars in the sky that I can count. I sometimes go out in my backyard or go to the park so I can gaze at them. I like finding constellations and making wishes on shooting stars." "You know," said Bella. "I sometimes make wishes on shooting stars as well. Do you know what my wish is?" "What is it?" I asked. "My wish is to score the highest marks in my class," she told me. I was amazed. Bella had the same wishes that I had. "That's my wish, too!" I said. "Since you're so smart, I think I could learn about stars from you. Can we look at the stars together?" "Certainly," she said. I decided to sit by her, so we could gaze at the stars and count them together. She had the knowledge to tell me the history of each and every star, and which little dot was actually a planet. But, I remained quiet, just watching and counting the stars, connecting the dots and finding constellations. As we looked at the stars together, I wondered if Bella knew the constellations, too. Ever since that night, we've become very good friends. I realized that with a new friend, I had more hope than the promise of a starry night. I may enjoy counting stars, but it's even better when I'm counting them with my new friend, who has so much in common with me. She is a daydreamer and loves counting stars, just like me. I finally have someone to talk to. I understand Bella completely, because I love looking at the stars, too. And to us, it's always a beautiful sight. I'll always know that having a friend is like the brightest star of my life. Category:Stories Category:Short Stories